Central Virginia primary election guide 2017

This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

RICHMOND, Va. – Though the Virginia gubernatorial race takes place in an off-year when participation is traditionally low, voters who do make it out to the polls will find both sides of the ballots packed with candidates vying for governor and lieutenant governor, in addition to numerous General Assembly seats and municipal leadership positions.

Two men are campaigning for governor on the Democratic side; three on the Republican side.

There are a number of districts voting to fill General Assembly seats. Many of the districts don’t have an opposing party candidate. Also, in several districts either one candidate is uncontested or has been chosen already by a caucus, so that district won’t be in play during the primary, just the election.

In the primary, registered Virginia voters can choose which side they want to vote for, but voters have to chose that side in the beginning and stick with it. How voters vote in the primary doesn’t affect how they choose to vote in the November elections.

Prince William County Chairman Corey A. Stewart, the former state chair for Donald Trump’s campaign who was fired, has run an “odd” campaign, according to Holsworth. Stewart has been very vocal in his defense of Confederate monuments and symbols, and said he is very “proudly politically incorrect.”

Turnout will be a major factor in how these races swing. Sometimes turnout in an election year is five or six percent, very rarely any more than 10 or 12 percent.

“That’s why it is so hard to predict these races because we really don’t know who is going to turn out,” Holsworth said.

Tom Perriello entered the race late but has delivered a strong social media campaign. He has key endorsements from former Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and the staff of former President Barack Obama, in addition to the chairman of Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign.

“It might have some [effect],” Holsworth said of the out of state support. “Because there are a lot of progressives who are really anti-Trump, who love Bernie Sanders. He may be the most popular Democrat in America right now…”

Perriello’s appeal to college students could be mired by the issue that many of them registered on campus and school is out.

“We are going to have to see if Tom Perriello can come from behind, and whether that progressive momentum that we are seeing across the Democratic party nationally will manifest itself in Virginia on Tuesday,” Holsworth said.

2017 JUNE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY, GOVERNOR

2017 JUNE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

RACES TO WATCH LOCALLY

Republican voters in District 28 will decide who’ll have a chance to succeed retiring House Speaker Bill Howell in Richmond.

There are five Republicans and two Democrats running for Peter Farrell’s seat in the 56th District.

The 72nd District, previously held by Jimmie Massie, has traditionally gone for the GOP, but Clinton won that district in the last Presidential election. The Democratic nominee Schuyler VanValkenburg has raised almost as much as the favored Republican Eddie Whitlock – indicating that down the road this could be one to watch.

2017 JUNE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY MEMBER HOUSE OF DELEGATES

63rd DistrictChesterfield County, Dinwiddie County, Hopewell City, Petersburg City, Prince George County

Lashrecse D. Aird

Gerry J. Rawlinson

68th DistrictChesterfield County, Henrico County, Richmond City

Dawn M. Adams

Mary Jo Sheeley

Ben J. Pearson-Nelson

70th DistrictChesterfield County, Henrico County, Richmond City

Alexander W. Mejias

Delores L. McQuin

99th DistrictCaroline County, King George County, Lancaster County, Northumberland County, Richmond County, Westmoreland County

Vivian L. “Viv” Messner

Francis Nicholas Edwards

2017 JUNE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY MEMBER HOUSE OF DELEGATES

28th DistrictFredericksburg City, Stafford County

Paul Milde, III

Susan Stimpson

Robert Michael Thomas Jr.

54th DistrictCaroline County, Spotsylvania County

Robert D. “Bobby” Orrock

Nick G. Ignacio

56th DistrictGoochland County, Henrico County, Louisa County, Spotsylvania County

Matt C. Pinsker

Graven W. Craig

George S. Goodwin

Surya P. Dhakar

John J. McGuire III

“Jay” F. Prendergast

72nd DistrictHenrico County

Edward S. Whitlock II

Ernesto V. Sampson, J

2017 June Democratic Primary Petersburg Commissioner of Revenue

Larry D. Brown, Sr.

Kyle J. Dixon

Brittany C. Flowers

Atiba Muse

2017 June Democratic Primary Petersburg Commonwealth’s Attorney

Lee T. Parker II

Cheryl J. Wilson

2017 June Democratic Primary Richmond Sheriff

Antoinette Irving

C.T. Woody, Jr.

2017 June Democratic Primary Petersburg Treasurer

Bridget D. Jones

Paul Z. Mullin Jr.

Kenneth M Pritchett

2017 June Democratic Primary Richmond City Treasurer

Nichole Ona R. Armstead

Tavarris J. Sprink

2017 June Republican Primary Member Board of Supervisor

Henrico County Brookland District

Benjamin Dessart

Gilbert Wilkerson, Sr

Robert H. “Bob” Witte, Jr

The last day to absentee vote in-person has passed. The polls open in Virginia at 6 a.m. on Primary Election Day, June 13 and stay open until 7 p.m. Tuesday.